It’s Star Wars Celebration weekend! Yay! What many of you may not have known though is that yesterday was Investors Day!… Yay? Most definitely YAY! as The Walt Disney Company updated its bankrollers about the company’s future. A future that includes Disney+, the House of Mouse’s long-awaited very own streaming service. We’ve heard very little outside of rumour and conjecture before now, but Disney has now officially pulled back the curtain to reveal several details.

Firstly, Disney+ will be launching on 12 November this year and will be priced at $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. That is significantly cheaper than Netflix’s current $8.99 – $12.99 monthly subscription model. The streaming service will be completely ad-free and launch with over 7 500 episodes of TV series, 25 new original series, 100 recent theatrical movie releases and 400 older movie titles including the entirety of classic Disney Vault. The latter will include previously hard to find Disney animated flicks. That lineup will also include a number of films and series from the recently acquired Fox library, and the big one here is The Simpsons which will be switching to the Disney+ streaming platform on day one, including all 30 previous seasons.

As for what those other Disney series and movies will entail though, the big ones are obviously the Marvel and Star Wars properties. It’s now been officially confirmed that Marvel short-form series focused on Loki, Falcon & Winter Soldier, and Scarlet Witch and Vision (the latter now officially titled WandaVision) is on the way. Falcon & Winter Soldier will be launching in the first year of Disney+, with the other two following in year two, despite Loki being the first series that was originally marked for development. All original actors will be onboard again. No official confirmation yet on the Hawkeye series that was reported on yesterday.

The previously reported What If? animated series was also confirmed, bringing to life the popular anthology comic book series. The first story will see Hayley Atwell reprise her popular role as Peggy Carter in a story that imagines what if Peggy received the Super Soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers and he instead got a suit of high-tech armour from Howard Stark. On the Marvel movie front, all MCU releases will eventually find their home on Disney+, but it’s confirmed that Captain Marvel will be the first, dropping on launch day.

As for Star Wars, the big one, Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian live-action series was also confirmed to be premiering on launch. The previously reported “spy thriller” series focusing on Rogue One’s Cassian Andor has also been confirmed. Diego Luna will reprise the title role, while Alan Tudyk will also be back as the voice acerbic droid K-2SO. It will be dropping in year two of Disney+. The long-awaited new season of Star Wars: Clone Wars, announced last year, has also been confirmed to be on Disney+.

Outside of Marvel and Star Wars, as previously reported we will be getting a brand new High School Musical series, only it’s been revealed to have a very meta twist. Titled High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (no, seriously), it will be set at a real-life high school and follow a group of students staging their own stage musical production of High School Musical. It will be shot in a documentary style but it’s not a reality show either, as it will be scripted.

There will also be an animated spinoff series focusing on Toy Story 4’s new character Forky, as well as a bunch of animated shorts. On top of that, Disney+ will host a string of documentary and unscripted series and live specials, including a behind-the-scenes making of Frozen 2, a documentary series unpacking the history of Marvel Comics, a look at the brilliant engineers behind the Disney parks, and a show where Jeff Goldblum unpacks the history and connections behind everyday stuff like ice cream and sneakers. I’m down for it. We’ll also get numerous other new Disney original movies, including a remake of Lady & The Tramp, a Phineas and Ferb movie, and more.

While everything above sounds amazing, one rather troubling detail noticed is that there was no mention of Africa when Disney showed off their rollout plan for Disney+, despite indicating that it will be a global launch. Seeing as I know from personal experience that the company has a big vision for the continent, this was rather surprising. We have reached out to Disney South Africa for further comment.

Maybe tying into that though are reports that Disney will be looking to expand the global footprint of Hulu, the streaming service they gained majority ownership of with the Fox deal. There is also talk that the company may be looking to bundle Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN together into a discounted package. This will more than likely only be available to North American subscribers though.

Here’s the rather lengthy list of all planned content (for now) that will be hitting Disney+ in its first two years (via Deadline):

LIVE ACTION SERIES

High School Musical: The Musical: The SeriesThe 10-episode scripted series, set at the real-life East High, where the original movie was filmed, follows a group of students as they countdown to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of “High School Musical.” With meta references and some docu-style elements, it’s a modern take on the “classic” from 15 years ago. Show-mances blossom; friendships are tested, while new ones are made; rivalries flare; songs are sung; and lives are changed forever as these young people discover the transformative power that only high school theater can provide. Timing: Available at launch

The MandalorianThe first ever live-action Star Wars series, is written and executive-produced by Emmy®-nominated producer and actor Jon Favreau, with Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) directing the first episode. The highly anticipated series features an all-star cast including Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. Set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, the series follows a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic. Timing: Available at launch

Diary of a Female PresidentTold from the narration of her diary, the series follows a Cuban-American 12-year-old girl as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school and her journey to becoming the future president of the United States. Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”) and Emily Gipson (“I Can and I Will”) will executive produce along with Ilana Peña (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”). Timing: Year One

Falcon & Winter SoldierAnthony Mackie will return as Falcon and Sebastian Stan will reprise his role as Winter Soldier in the new Marvel Studios series. Timing: Year One

LokiTom Hiddleston will reprise his role as Loki in the new Marvel Studios series. Timing: Year Two

Untitled Cassian Andor SeriesDiego Luna will reprise his role of rebel spy Cassian Andor in this series set during the formative years of the Rebellion prior to the events of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” The rousing spy thriller will explore tales filled with espionage and daring missions to restore hope to a galaxy in the grip of a ruthless Empire. Alan Tudyk will also reprise his role as K-2SO with Stephen Schiff (“The Americans”) as showrunner and executive producer. Timing: Year Two

WandaVisionElizabeth Olsen will return as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany will reprise his role as The Vision in the new Marvel Studios series. Timing: Year Two

Forky Asks a QuestionForky, from Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” is a craft project created from trash, so he has important questions about how the world works, such as: What is love? What is time? And of course, the deepest question of all, What is cheese? He explores all of these questions and more in a series of 10 shorts. Timing: Available at launch

ANIMATED SERIES & SHORTS

SparkShortsDisney+ will be the exclusive home of “SparkShorts,” the Pixar Animation Studios short film series designed to discover new storytellers and explore new storytelling techniques from across the studio. Timing: Available at launch

Lamp LifeBo Peep makes a big comeback in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” and she leads the way in the all-new animated short film, finally answering the questions about where Bo was since we last we saw her in “Toy Story 2.” Timing: Year One

Monsters at WorkInspired by the characters of Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.,” the animated series from Disney Television Animation picks up six months after the events of “Monsters, Inc.” and follows Tylor Tuskmon, an eager and talented young mechanic who works on the Monsters Inc. facilities team but dreams of working his way up to the Laugh Floor. Returning cast members Billy Crystal, John Goodman, John Ratzenberger, Bob Peterson and Jennifer Tilly will join new cast members Ben Feldman, Kelly Marie Tran, Henry Winkler, Lucas Neff, Alanna Ubach and Stephen Stanton. Timing: Year One

Star Wars: The Clone WarsThe Emmy® award-winning animated series will be returning with twelve all-new episodes exclusively on Disney+. This will mark the return of classic characters Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, as well as fan-favorites Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex. Timing: Year One

Marvel’s What If…?Marvel Studios’ first animated series, taking inspiration from the comic books of the same name. Each episode will explore a pivotal moment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and turn it on its head, leading the audience into uncharted territory. Timing: Year One

DOCUMENTARY, UNSCRIPTED SERIES & LIVE SPECIALS

Encore!Executive producer Kristen Bell brings together former castmates of a high school musical, tasking them with re-creating their original performance in a high school reunion like no other. Emotions run high as the former students face faded friendships, former flames, self-doubt, and killer choreography. Through it all, these unlikely groups of friends—with the help of Broadway’s best—just might pull off a standing-ovation-worthy performance of beloved musicals like “The Sound of Music,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Annie” and more. Timing: Available at launch

Untitled Walt Disney Imagineering Documentary SeriesThe documentary series chronicles the 65+ year history of Walt Disney Imagineering with parallel storylines of the people, the craft, and the business. Created by Academy Award® and Emmy® nominated director and producer Leslie Iwerks, series includes exclusive interviews and never-before-seen footage from Disney’s parks around the world. Timing: Available at launch

Marvel’s Hero ProjectThe series, produced by Marvel New Media in partnership with MaggieVision Productions, reveals the remarkable, positive change several young heroes are making in their own communities. These young heroes have dedicated their lives to selfless acts of bravery and kindness, and now, Marvel celebrates them as the true Super Heroes they are. Timing: Available at launch

The World According to Jeff GoldblumThrough the prism of Jeff Goldblum’s always inquisitive and highly entertaining mind, nothing is as it seems in this new series. Each episode is centered around something we all love – like sneakers or ice cream – as Jeff pulls the thread on these deceptively familiar objects and unravels a wonderful world of astonishing connections, fascinating science and history, amazing people, and a whole lot of surprising big ideas and insights. Timing: Available at launch

Be Our ChefWhat if your family had the chance to create the next great Disney Parks dish? Hosted by Angela Kinsey, Be Our Chef invites families from diverse backgrounds to join a Disney-inspired cooking competition at Walt Disney World that is positive and playful in tone. In each episode, two families will participate in a themed challenge based on their family traditions and the magic of Disney. The finalists will apply what they have learned to create a dish that represents their family through a Disney lens. Timing: Year One=

Cinema RelicsIconic Art of the Movies (working title) – Cinema Relics is an anthology series that takes a unique look at beloved films through the props & costumes (now modern ‘artifacts’) that made them unique – from the craftspeople who created them, the actors who interacted with them, and the collectors / archives who own and cherish them. The show will be hosted by film historian/collector Dan Lanigan. Among the films featured in the first eight episodes are “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Muppet Movie,” “Tron” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” CINEMA RELICS is produced by ABC Studios, Alternative and executive produced by Jason Henry and Dan Lanigan. Timing: Year One

Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2As never before in its near-century long history, Walt Disney Animation Studios is opening its doors, allowing cameras to capture in intimate detail how the voice cast, directors, and team of artists come together to create “Frozen 2.” This multi-episode documentary series shows the hard work, imagination, heart, fun and intensity that go into making one of the most highly-anticipated Disney Animation features of all time. Timing: Year One

Magic of Animal KingdomIn the heart of Central Florida, a team of more than 1,000 highly respected animal-care experts, veterinarians and biologists perform groundbreaking work at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park and Epcot’s SeaBase aquarium. Now for the first time, National Geographic will offer viewers an all-access pass into the 24/7 world of the incredible animal caretakers running one of the most advanced veterinary facilities in the world. Timing: Year One

Marvel’s 616An anthological documentary series from Marvel New Media in partnership with Supper Club that explores the intersection between Marvel’s rich legacy of stories, characters and creators and the world outside your window. Each documentary will dive into the rich historical, cultural and societal context that has become inseparable from stories of the Marvel Universe. Timing: Year One

(Re)ConnectIn each episode of (Re)Connect, a family will disconnect from their busy lives, devices and outside influences in order to address a relatable issue that’s driving a wedge between them. With the help of a specialized expert, each family will go on a unique journey to confront the family’s dilemma head on. Can they finally come together as a family to overcome their obstacles…and reconnect? Timing: Year One

Rogue TripRenowned journalist Bob Woodruff travels the world with his 27-year old son, Mack, and visits all of the places your average tourist is least likely to venture – the roguish, often misunderstood and frequently overlooked corners of the world whose hidden corners surprise, amaze and inspire. This is the family vacation most of us are least likely to take. Timing: Year One

Shop Class (working title)A new competition series featuring teams of inventive students, who are tasked with designing, building, and testing new contraptions. In each episode a panel of experts will rate their work based on engineering, design, and the final test of the build. In the final episode one team will be named Shop Class Champs. Timing: Year One

Earthkeepers (working title)From the award-winning creators of “Chef’s Table” and the producers of “One Lucky Elephant,” “Earthkeepers” is a cinematic documentary series that enters the adventurous lives of the people changing the way we see the animal kingdom. The episodes focus on conservationists and the animals they’ve devoted their careers to studying, diving deep into the personal trials and professional breakthroughs of protecting the planet’s most endangered species. Executive Produced by Jason Sterman, Brian McGinn and David Gelb for Supper Club and Cristina Colissimo and Jordana Glick-Franzheim for Wellworth Pictures. Timing: Year Two

Ink & PaintThe documentary series, based on the book of the same name, tells the story of Animation at Disney, and how an unsung workforce of trailblazing women helped create some of the greatest animated films of all time. Timing: Year Two

ORIGINAL FILMS

Lady & The TrampA timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic about a prim and proper house dog and a tough but lovable stray who embark on a series of adventures and, despite their different upbringings, grow closer and come to understand the true meaning of “home.” Starring Tessa Thompson (voice of Lady) and Justin Theroux (voice of Tramp), Kiersey Clemons (Darling), Thomas Mann (Jim Dear), Janelle Monae (voice of Peg), Yvette Nicole Brown (Aunt Sarah) and Sam Elliot (voice of Trusty). Timing: Available at launch

NoelleNick Kringle (Bill Hader) is first in line to become Santa Claus, but he struggles at every step of the way. His younger sister Noelle (Anna Kendrick) enjoys all the perks of being a Kringle without any of the expectations or responsibility. As the holiday draws near, the pressures of being Santa become all too much for Nick, who disappears just weeks before the big day. Now it’s up to Noelle to scour the globe to find him, bring him home, and save the Christmas season. Cast also includes Kingsley Ben-Adir, Billy Eichner, Julie Hagerty and Shirley MacLaine. Timing: Year One

The Phineas and Ferb Movie (working title)Stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb, their older sister Candace, Perry the Platypus and the Danville gang will reach a new pinnacle — Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming service — when they are back together again in The Phineas and Ferb Movie, an animated adventure in production now. The movie, executive-produced by Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (creators and executive producers of the long-running Emmy Award-winning series “Phineas and Ferb”), centers on Phineas and Ferb as they set out across the galaxy to rescue Candace who has been abducted by aliens and has found utopia in a far-off planet, free of pesky little brothers. Reprising their roles are: Ashley Tisdale as Candace Flynn; Vincent Martella as Phineas Flynn; Caroline Rhea as their mom, Linda; Dee Bradley Baker as Perry the Platypus; Alyson Stoner as Isabella; Maulik Pancholy as Baljeet; Bobby Gaylor as Buford; Olivia Olson as Vanessa; Tyler Mann as Carl; and Povenmire and Marsh as Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram, respectively. David Errigo Jr. joins the cast as Ferb Flynn. Timing: Year One

StargirlBased on the critically-acclaimed New York Times best-selling Young Adult novel of the same name, this teen coming-of-age story is about Leo Borlock (Graham Verchere), an average sixteen-year-old who is content to fly under the radar until an offbeat and unconventional new student named Stargirl (Grace VanderWaal) shows up at his high school, turning his and everyone else’s world upside down, forever changing the way they see themselves and each other. Timing: Year One

Timmy FailureBased on the book “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made” by Stephan Pastis from the beloved illustrated book series of the same name Timmy Failure is helmed by Academy Award-winning director Tom McCarthy with a screenplay by McCarthy & Pastis, and tells the story of Timmy, our quirky, deadpan hero, who along with his 1,500 pound polar bear partner, Total, operates TOTAL FAILURE INC., a world-class detective agency (at least in Timmy’s mind anyway). Timing: Year One

TogoBased on a true-life adventure in the Alaskan tundra, this story takes place in 1925, when an epidemic of diphtheria breaks out in a remote Alaskan town, causing countless children to fall gravely ill. The necessary antitoxin is hundreds of miles away, across treacherous terrain with a massive storm on the horizon. As the crisis grows more desperate, the village leaders realize their only hope lies with one man – Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe) and his lead sled dog, Togo. Timing: Year One

RECENT RELEASES

Disney+ will serve as the exclusive streaming home of Walt Disney Studios films beginning in 2019 including:

A man of many passions - but very little sleep - I've been geeking out over movies, video games, comics, books, anime, TV series and lemon meringues as far back as I can remember. So show up for the geeky insight, stay for the delicious pastries.

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